Height increasing device for footwear



' Dec. 30, 1947. J, ADLER ETAL 2,433,329

` HEIGHT INCREASING DEVICE FOR FOOTWEAR Filed Nov. 7, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet l l F7. 5A j@ 57d 4% 57 /7/5/6 JNVENTORS Y y JESSE ADLER 'iff/1,5' 1, A BY ARTHURHADLER Dc. 30, 1947. J. ADLER ET AL 2,433,329

HEIGHT` INCREASING DEVICE FOR FOOTWEAR gled Nov. 7, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 `INVENTORS JESSE ADLER ARTHUR H. ADLER Dec. 3o, 1947. J, ADLER ETAL 2,433,329.

HEIGHT INCREASING DEVICE FOR FOOTWEAR W Filed Nov. 7, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENToRs JESSE ADL ER I 93-/95 l v al@ BY' 'AR rHUR H ADLER 34 Patented Dec. 30, 1947 HEIGHT JNCREASING-DEVICE FORM FQOTWEAR Application Novembr', 1944i SrialN6:-=562`;'298 e 4 Claims. (Cl. :it-71).-l

Itri-is fone .vof "sthe-.i objects-v of'ithsv invention itoi i 5 provide a xshoe with; .height "increasing fy means which are simple in construction; easy to 1 manu-'- facture and. to .assernbl and f Veryfefcient -inl` operation-;

Itissan'oth'er object .of this invention to provide-dfbA a shoe ..including .meansfaifording :fready- .regulal tionxofgthe height fof ith'e` insolefof the --shoe andiforming .also ra. shock-'absorbing vcushion there-- for to facilitate easy-andfcomiortablewalkingl conditions? for V'.theffootor `a person rwhen wearing 1M theashoe Ii-,'is 'la :iurtlrxerz object of- -thi's'finvention -to videl:` means connectablet-withlthe insole of i a shoe@n which? means 'fwill'f fit forA may lloevf-rreadilyL latterrzgand'f: afford resiliency.7 as well-iaslevelaadi- 25 justinentflfornthe-ffot.of thewearern' Ye'tanotherfzobje'ctrof `the :present rinventionfris .ftoprcvide I*.rneansi which:mayab'e'.` easily'fadgpbedls: forsfuseazin any; ytypefofa height f.increasing sfootw wea Whihncauses:many:othen'ladvantages; namely-f1 of being light inlaweiglhp resistant-to "heat anda` IJ@.lLfSlllai'ion,-` andsnot.alteringritsgiven shape. vor Colaguratiom after long-ewearingrtimefa Still another objectf :o :it provide :mea-ns whichy permit: ea-sy alterationrand" adiustmentzof-- resliencyffor the vheight; increase--f ing device employed in shoes, and .alsorreadyifi change foifethegarea fwithzwhichisaid fdev-iceffis in Contact :for-support c,thereonzf-l` These rand :fioth'er 10101;] ects and advfantages'-of` the@invention*willfifappearf1"om th` :M following* disclosure r 1 `thereoftogetherwith `the attached j drawings which "illustrate-certain f-forms' of "erm" 45 bodrnentthereof. These forms'areishowniou ther iporpose of iillustratirig-gthe invention since. l theysarne has" `.been foundfin practice to. give satisfactory and` [reliable "results, although it, is

toheunderstood fthatthe various partsof which.` `1505i the invention consistsanhe variouslyarrangedtx and.organizedV and that-.the ,inventiongisnot clirn--x ited` tdtheiprecise arrangement` and organiza-sf tionof theinstrumentalities.asherein shown,anda

uCh'aSwshDes; slippers, :.'boots-gl: etc.; and."30

I'rrrithetdrawingsf: Y

Fig'.. lfis `avitopvplanvviewsof fthe `hciglsitiin-zY creasing: device mariee-'iris accordance .wthrthisaf invention:

Fig. .2.. isfa. rcrossesectional Viewftakenrzalongsfline V2-2---2 ofxiigi 1,1:shown:on'an enlargedifscale.

Figa `3 his.:` a `longitudinalrsectionalsview .f of lthe i.. device-tfshowncin fFi`g.-:,Z1,L placedfinlra shoes Fig.\A 4 :isi fa ilongitudinali sectional` View "offltlrea: device,- fas zseen =.in iFig; :3,fbut2in modified formi:-

Figr .is an:enlarged.crosseseotional viewftaken 1r' along line SLS of `Fggil Figi 6 isan eniargedfcross-Isectionalz viewflsimia f larto that toffri'g.V 5, hut'finniodiecl'iform;V i

Fig-.16A i shows al detail ofFig. 6 fin" seotion'i 1 Figs. I to" 10.*y shovvv .bottomfplan `views of ffo'ur. r height-increasing 4devices in "modified forms ac-e cording to the Lpresent invention:

Fig. 11 'shows-aheight.:increasingdevicc;'rnadelLA in :accordance/with thisv invention; Vvandlshown` inwperspectivaf.

Fig. '.13 is 7a @bottom 'planr viewof .the device@ face thereof supporting elements. i

Fig'. :.14` :is a ifragrnentary` orossfsectionalJ View taken" along linefll--Hl of Fig;4 13.'

Fig.: l is ia atop 'planf'viem "and Fig. 16 is ra :cross-sectional view-:taken along?. line l -e-H of 15; and illustrates another form? ofy a supporting element employalole` in. this .4; invention.

Referring vn'owf more particularly-to the dra-ws` creasing device 20femhodying the :.ii'iVeritionrA De.

Vioex` 20.: comprises the Afoot 'supportz'forfbody 215;?.

401`12l (Fig.f2).'

As can beseen 'in F`g."3, the ibody Y2 tzmay bei-a conformed to theishape oftthe foot of` the'wearerzr and may be preferably made of any knownfresin-t.V` ousimaterial; which vmay'hefnfiolded 'or :thermoe t-Iplastic in character. According `to thisinvention'iz. a resinous". material may be used Whichiis lights: inweight, resstantto perspiration and .the 'eiect'sza derived from the temperatureA of the humanrfoot.

Body-2t has a'renforced rearward vportion?24:1f: which itapers'into relatively thin''forwardxipor-` tion 25', as'can be realizedfrom Fig. 3.; The rea-1re ward portionV 2t -fhas'fat `its funderface .atreoessssV 2B (Fig. 7) for the insertion of a pad `22';whichzisa: resilient and may be Inade'oirsoft rubbenmubbersw composition :or spongerxubben: Recesssonacutf-r out 26 is preferably so shaped and disposed that pad 22 will be nested therein under tension in order to prevent removal of the pad from said recess. If desired, the upper surface of pad 22 may be adhesively connected with the walls of said recess 26. As can be seen from Figs. 3 and 7, pad 22 extends up to a location substantially below the arch of the foot.

Fig. 1 indicates a relatively thin flange or rim 23 which is positioned to extend along and to project beyond the outer edge of the upper face (tread surface) of the device, thus overhangs the underface of the latter, whereby it lends itself to being easily shaped and conformed to the size of the shoe to which the device is applied.

To this end, flange 23 may be led or otherwise shaped to reduce the area of the upper tread surface 23a of device 20, so that the same will t various shoe sizes, as will be well understood.

Adjacent the inner end of ange 23, there is positioned a plurality of openings or channels 21 which may be coextensive with the length of pad 22 and serve the purpose of facilitating air circulation from pad 22 at the underface toward the upper tread surface of foot support 2|.

Fig. 4 shows a modification of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3. The height increasing device 30 has a one-piece elongated support or upper body 3! made from any suitable resinous material which may assume a form, which indicates a curved part at the heel and arch portions above the plane of the forward toe portion 32 (Fig. 3). The forward portion 32 may be molded to conform the sameto the shape of the wearers foot. The underface of device 30 may be shaped or curved at the heel and arch portions and may have a plurality of recesses 33, 33a, 33h, 33o, etc. into which i'lt projections 3d, 34a, 34h, 34C, etc. of a pad 35 placed underneath body 3|. The upper surface of pad 35 conforms to the underface of support 3|. Pad 35 is preferably made from soft rubber and may be held in position by any appropriate means. The underface of pad 35 and the underface of the support 3| at the forward portion 32 form a continuous surface for contact with the insole of the shoe.

Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view along line 5 5 of Fig. 4 illustrating the upper body or support 3| and the engagement of the projections of pad 35 within the recesses 33 of body 3|.

Fig. 6, in somewhat modified form, shows that pad 39 may be equipped with projections of different lengths 31, 37a, 37b, 3'|c,l 37d. The recesses of body 33 are made of substantially equal depths so as to bring about an inclination of body 38 with respect to the base 39 of pad 35. This serves the purpose of regulating the level of body 38 and, thereby, to correct the posture of the foot of the wearer.

Fig. 6A shows pad 36 with projections 31, 3M, etc.; the same may be cut to the same length as projection 31d, by cutting the same below" the dotted line 40.

Figs. 8 to 10 show further modifications of the rubber or like yieldable inserts in the resinous body of the height increasing device. Fig. 8 illustrates device 53 having the underrace 5l and a plurality of recesses 52 to 56. These recesses substantially extend lengthwise of the underface 5| of the device and may receive corresponding sponge rubber inserts or pads, as hereinabove mentioned. These inserts are made to project somewhat beyond the underface 5 I. Fig. 9 shows device Swith underface 6| and a plurality of transversely directed recesses 62, 63, 64, etc.,

which serve a purpose similar to that of recesses of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 shows the device l0 having at its underface 1| a plurality of perforations 12, 13, M, etc., which may be arranged in transverse and lengthwise directions of underface 1|. These perforations may be used to engage with projections similar to those shown in Figs. 4 to 6A which projections may either form parts of a pad or may constitute individual elements, such as shown in Figs. 15 and 16.

Fig, 11 shows a height increasing device B0 having the upper tread surface 9D molded to correspond to the shape of the foot of the wearer. The device may be composed of a sheet 80a made of resinous, thermoplastic material, to which is adhesively attached at 82 pad 8|, either made from plastic or from resilient material, such as rubber, cork or any other composite material.

It will be observed from Fig. l2 that sheet 80a projects laterally beyond pad 8| to provide thereby a flange 88 for facilitating shaping of the boundary of sheet 89a so as to accommodate said device 80 in various sizes of shoes. The underface 89 of portion 8| (made of resinous material) may have rows of recesses, lateral recesses 9'| and 98 and a median row of recesses 83 to 81, respectively, which are arranged in a predetermined distance to each other. These recesses are adapted to receive resilient or rubber knobs or elements 9| (Fig. 14) or knobs 95 (Fig, 16) which may project beyond the lower surface 89 of portion 8| to bring about a resilient supporting surface for the device 80 when the same is placed in position within the interior of a shoe.

Rubber knobs or elements, such as designated by numeral 95, possess a shank 93 and a hemispherical base 94, and may be inserted under friction by means of said shank 93 in corresponding perforations, disposed at the underface 89 of portion 8| (Figs. 12 and 13)- In order to further provide for a different degree of resiliency, rubber members 9|a may be used to engage frictionally with cylindrical elements 9|, thereby providing a larger surface for the support of device 80 and eifectuating a further height increase, as can be realized from Fig. 14. Each rubber member 9| a has a collar or extension 92 for position between the underface 89 and rubber member 9|a proper. As can be realized from Fig. 13, a plurality of rubber members 9|a may be disposed at underface 89 in any appropriate manner and as required for the purpose just referred to.

It is well understood that the height increasing devices hereinabove disclosed may be attached to the underface of the insole of the shoe and may be secured in position within the shoe by any appropriate means, such as adhesive means, stitching, etc.

It will thus be seen that in accordance with this invention there has been provided a new and ecient height increasing and foot posture correcting device which possesses many desirable advantages and which principally consists of a rigid foot-engaging support adapted to overlie heel and arch portions of a shoe and which is combined with resilient means seated in the underface of said support to project therebeyond, said resilient means being connectable with additional elements to vary the increase of height and the area of contact with the inside of the shoe at said heel and arch portions.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that various substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated and their operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A height increasing device for insertion in a shoe or like footwear and for position at the insole thereof comprising a one-piece elongated support made of resinous material including heel and arch portions and a forward toe portion so as to extend the entire length of the interior of said shoe, said support being provided with a foot engaging tread surface tapering from said heel portion toward said forward toe portion, a wedge-shaped pad of yieldable material associated with said support, the upper surface of said pad extending only below said heel and arch portions of said support and being shaped to engage with the underface of said support thereat, whereby the underface of said pad together with the underface of said forward toe portion of said support form a continuous surface for position at said insole of said shoe, a flange forming rim at said tread surface and overhanging the underface of said support, said flange being conformable to and engageable with the interior of said shoe to prevent shifting of said support within said shoe, and intertting formations, respectively, provided in the underface of said heel and arch portions of said support and on the surface of said pad for engagement of said pad with said support and for removal therefrom.

2. A height increasing device for insertion in a shoe or like footwear and for position at the insole thereof comprising a one-piece elongated support made of resinous material including heel and arch portions and a forward toe portion so as to extend the entire length of the interior of said shoe, said support being provided with a foot engaging tread surface tapering from said heel portion toward said forward toe portion, a wedgeshaped pad of yieldable material associated with said support at said heel and arch portions therei of, the upper surface of said pad being shaped to engage with the underface of said support, so that the underface of said pad together with the underface of said forward toe portion of said support form a continuous surface for position at i said insole of said shoe, a ange forming rim at said tread surface, said rim projecting beyond the underface of said support and being engageable with the interior of said shoe to prevent shifting of said support within said shoe, the underface of c sole thereof comprising a one-piece elongatedy support made of resinous material including,r heel, arch and forward toe portions so as to extend the entire length of the interior of said shoe, said support being provided with a foot engaging tread surface tapering from said heel portion toward said forward toe portion, a wedge-shaped pad of elastic rubber material associated with the heel and arch portions of said support, the upper surface of said pad being shaped to engage with the underface of said support, whereby the underface of said pad together with the underface of said forward toe portion of said support form a continuous surface, a ange forming rim at said tread surface and tapering toward the underface of said support, said `flange. being engageable with the interior of said shoe to prevent shifting of said support within the shoe, and means arranged to engage with the underface of said pad and adapted to adjust height and inclination of said tread surface relatively to said insole- 4. A height increasing device for insertion in a shoe or like footwear and for position at the insole thereof comprising a one-piece elongated support made of resinous material including heel and arch portions and a forward toe portion so to extend the entire length of the interior of said shoe, said support being provided with a foot engaging tread surface, said tread surface being provided at said heel and said arch portions with a curved part extending above the plane of said toe portion, wedged-shaped means of rubber material engageable only with said heel and arch portions of .said support at the underface thereat, whereby the underface of said wedged-shaped means together with the underface of said forward toe portion of said support are substantially in alignment for position at said insole of said shoe, a flange forming rim extending along said tread surface and tapering toward the underface of said support, said ange being conformable to and engageable with the interior of said shoe to prevent shifting of said support within said shoe, the underface of said wedged-shaped means being recessed at predetermined locations thereof, and means made of rubber material and engageable with said recessed underface for regulating the position of said tread surface in perpendicular as well as in horizontal directions lto said insole.

JESSE ADLER.

ARTHUR H. ADLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 607,086 Salford July 12, 1898 832,375 Gordon Oct. 2, 1906 1,999,507 Lyss et al. Apr. 30, 1935 2,194,637 Burger Mar. 26, 1940 2,311,925 Boos Feb. 23, 1943 74,912 Hadley Feb. 25, 1868 1,408,267 Caterini Feb. 28, 1922 1,488,596 Gash Apr. 1, 1924 863.873 Pratt Aug. 20, 1907 2,326,790 Margolin Aug. 17, 1943 2,147,466 Silver Feb. 14, 1939 2,213,770 Sajdak Sept. 3, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 10,758 Great Britain 1890 212,637 Great Britain Dec. 13, 1922 

